ON THIS DAY

A possible date for the Antioch earthquake in present-day Syria (then the Byzantine Empire) which killed 200 000 people.

The Korean king Yi Seong-gye, founder of the Joseon dynasty, moves the capital from Kaesŏng to Hanyang, today known as Seoul.

The Battle of Swally takes place, loosening the Portuguese Empire’s hold on India.

San Jose, California, is founded as Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe by José Joaquín Moraga. It is the first civilian settlement, or pueblo, in Alta California.

The crew of the British slave ship Zong murders 133 Africans by dumping them into the sea to claim insurance.

The British land on l’Ile de France and capture it from the French. They revert to the name Mauritius.

Sand Creek Massacre, A Colorado militia kills about 150 peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians including Cheyenne chief One-Eye.

General Horatio Kitchener assumes command of the British forces in South Africa.

The first patent for the traffic lights system is issued in the US.

The Transvaal University College becomes the Pretoria University.

Physicist Erwin Schrödinger publishes his famous thought experiment “Schrödinger’s cat”, a paradox that illustrates the problem of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics.

Passenger ship Lurline sends radio signal of sighting Japanese war fleet, which was steaming for Pearl Harbour.

Explosions at an East German uranium mine kill 3 700 miners. Amid great secrecy, Soviet authorities seal off the area and shoot the 80 German fireman who battled the blaze caused by the explosion.

Atari releases Pong, the first commercially successful video game.

Reigning Tri-Nations champions, the Springboks, beat France for the team of the year award. Jake White is named coach of the year.

Bosnian war criminal Slobodan Praljak commits suicide by poison in court at The Hague after his 20-year prison sentence is read out. |